Apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware



May 3Q, 1939. w. J. MILLER APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF PbT-TERY WARE I t Original Filed Jan. 25, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR; BY uzY/zbm IMl'l/er' ATTORNEY y 1939- w. J. MILLER 2,160,483

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE or" POTTERY WARE 2 She ets-Sheet 2' Original Filed Jan. 25, 192"! I I a v v INVENTOR 6 M6 I a 106 Wi/kbmJMi/ler A TTORNE Y hereinafter described. respectively of a detail of a chain book, which is molds thereon onto a conveyor, after the charge In Fig. 1, II is a base plate and I2 a frame of 10 35 .Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of my nut 63.

,40 apparatus of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary A slotted segmental gear 25, having internal '49 lv atented May-'30, 1939 1 I h I i amass Arman-roe Foe ro'r'raa we William J. Miller, Ewissvale, Pa.

Substitute for abandoned application Serial No. 163,421, January 25, 1927. This application April 3, 1935. Serial No. 14.446

Q My invention relates to improvements in-the of a device for transferring mold carriers from manufacture of articles from plastic materials said return track to another track,and-for 'propeland particularly in the art of making pottery, ling them along said other trackr and it consists in the 'novel features, which are Figs. 9 and 10 are a front view and a side view 1 This application-is a substitute for application employed in a modification shown in Fig. 11-.

163,421 11196 January 25, 1927. Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic front elevation of a The objects of my invention are to provide a modification of the conveying means of my mechmeans'for automatically loading carriers with anism for conveying mold carriers. Y

on said molds has been shaped by jiggers, to be multiple and automatic jiggers, such as described transported to any required destination, such as in my aiibvementioned patent and I3 is a power to a dryer; to have said means applicable to mulshaft, supported by the frame for operatingthe j tiple' jiggers, such as described in my Patent ware fabricating and/or iig er units disclosed 5 #1,75'7,132 for Multiple and automatic jiggers for therein as generally represented by the jigger -1 use in the manufacture of articles from plastic chuck it defining the general location'thereof.

. materials; to allow theready removal and re- A mitre gear I 5 Figs. 1 and 3 mounteda the placement of defective or damaged carriers on one end of shaft i3 mesheswith anothermitrc conveyors without interfering with the operation gear l6, mounted at the end of a shaft H; having of the plant; to .facilitate the manipulation of a cam l8 thereon. Bracket i9 secured to baseli 2f carriers containing multiple molds after the inby fasteniugs I941. has secured thereto-a bearing itial operation of shaping the material on. said 20 for an oscillating arm 2| and is pivotally conmolds has been completed; to save time and lanected to a bearing 20 by a spindle 58 in one of.

.bor, which .would otherwise be expended in manmultiple interchangeable openings 5'! in the beari 5 ually loading mold carriers onto conveyors; to ing 20 and in arm 2!. These openings '51 are 10- 5 have a complete automatic cycle of operations cated opposite the openings 51 in arm 2i, and performed on the .material, from the operation are for varying and adjusting the operating of feeding a charge of material onto the mold to length of arm 2|. 7 v

, the. production of the finished product without A roll 22 pivotally connected by a pin 23 to a removing themold' carriers from the machine boss 24 on arm 21, is in contact with cam i8, 30

I duringsaid'cycle of operations and without rewhereby arm 2|, is periodically turned in one dimoving the molds from the carriers except as rerection. A tensile spring 6i, Figs. 1 and 3, is quired during fabrication. connected to arm 2| a screw 62 adjustably con- In the drawings: nected to frame I2, and is secured by a' safety mechanism for conveying mold carriers looldng The spring 6| returns arm 2i to its original from left to right'in Figs. 3 and 6 showing the position after the latter has been displaced by ntidle part and the left hand end thereof as said cam l8, and, in conjunction with cam 18,

Y broken away. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan of oscillates arm 2i about spindle "as anaxis.

front elevation, of the' apparatus of Fig. 1. teeth 25a at the upper edge of its slot, is situated Fig. 4 is a detail in front elevation of a modifl- L at the upper end of arm 2! in mesh with the upcation of my mechanism for conveying mold carper edge of pinion 26, on spindle-21; a clearance riers. 7 l 260 being shown in Fig. 1 between the lower edge r I Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic top plan view of my of pinion 26 and the lower edge of the. slot in 45 mechanism for conveying mold carriers, showsaid segmental gear 25. I

ing the complete route of the same from the iig- The spindle 21 also carries a pinion .28, of greatgers to the dryer, through the latter and back er diameter than pinion 26, in mesh' with a rack.

again to the jiggers. 29. The latter is slidabiy mounted on frame i2,-

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic front view of my in an inverted position, Figs. 1 and 3; and may 50 mechanism shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 'I is a detail be-positioned-to move to and fro over one end .view in front elevation of a device for transferof the frame l2 intermediate of two rails of a ring mold carriersfr'om an endless chain contrack 30, secured to the frame l2. .One or more veyor,- which forms part of my mechanism to a gravity pawls 32 arepivotally connected'to the return track, Fig. 8 is a detail in front elevation rack by a spindle 59 and one of multiple inte'r- 5 5 ets being omitted in chains 34 upwardly at the 2 k changeableopeningsili in the rack 29, to rotate thereon in one direction. A stop 55 is also sedescribed in my patents above. The carriers 3|.

are intermittently moved rearwardly in a line on track 30, in the direction from right to left, in Fig. 1, by the gravity, pawls 32 and .rack 23, Figs.

1 and 3, to be picked up by hooks on chains 34,.

hereinafter described.

The multiple openings 50 in rack 29 for spindle 59 of pawls 32 serve to adjust the position of carriers 3| on the tracks 30 over the jiggers. fIhe adjustment at 51 provides for the accommodation of different lengths of the carriers, 3|.

The carriers 3|, have axial trunnions 33, Figs. 1 and 3, parallel to the track 30 and rack 23; which serve as buffers for said carriers 3|, when on track said carriers 30, and co-operate with hooks for attachment to the chain conveyor of the dryer.

These chains 34 are in engagement with sprockets 35, Figs. 1 and 2, mounted on a shaft 36; the other chain 34 and the remaining sprockthe drawings. A connectingrod 31 pivotally connected by pin 33' to an arm 2|, having a multiple of interchangeable for the pin enables the stroke of varied. The rod has an inverted rack 39, in mesh with a pinion 40 swivelled on the hub 4| of a ratchet 42. The hub 4| adjustably secured to' a spindle 43 by a screw 44 and pawl 45 pivotally connected to pinion 45 by a pin 46, is kept in engagement with said ratchet 42 by a plate spring 41,

By means of connecting rod 31 motion is transmitted from arm 2| to the pinion 40 with the pawl 45 thereon. The stroke of rod 31 may be varied and adjusted by means of openings 54 and 51 on the arm 2|. The pawl 45 is kept by spring 41 in intermittent engagement withratchet 42 during the oscillation of pinion 40 in one direction', whereby the ratchet 42 is intermittently turned in a clockwise direction during the interval of time when rack 29, with pawls 32 thereon, is moving from left to right, Fig. 1 and when carriers 3| are normally resting on the track-30 openings 64 rod 31 to be in operative adjacency to the ware fabricating' apparatus.

A bevel gear 48, Fig. 2, adjustably secured by means of screw 49 to spindle 43, is in mesh with bevel gear 50, mounted on spindle 35, whereby the latter, with the sprockets 35 thereon, has imparted thereto an intermittent rotation in one direction, thereby intermittently moving riers 3|, Fig. 3, during the carriers 3| are normally at rest on'track 30 whilst fabrication of ware on the molds car- 34 by pins molds off the carriers into the chucks lifting said cooperation with the ried thereby is proceeding,

dies and jiggers.

To prevent rotation of sprockets 35 in the opposite direction under load carried by said chains 34, an additionalpawl 68 is pivotally connected to the frame |2 by pin 69, and engages a ratchet.

42 being held in engagement by a plate spring 10, secured at one end thereof to frame i2.

Hooks 5|, Fig. 3, pivotally connected to chains 52, have formed integrally therewith earns 53, for engagement with a stationary guide secured to the pinion 44. 7

right side of said car-' interval of time when bar 54, mounted on frame |2 by a bracket 55, Fig.

The action of said guide bar 54 on cams 53 causes the hooks 5| to be swung on their pivots .52 and pass through slots in track 33 and be brought into the position shown; thereby engaging the underside of trunnions 33 at the ends of, carriers 3|, shown in Fig. 1 at the rear end of said track 33. -As the chain moves upwardly a carrier is lifted off the track 35, and moved a predetermined distance vertically whilst gradually swingingto the right, Fig. 3, towards centered position as regards the chain 34, as the vcams 53 leave the guide bar 54. The chain is V intermittently moved and other carriers 3| are picked up in successive order and conveyed to any required destination preferably to and through a dryer. The chains 34 are at rest when carriers 3| are being moved from right to left over the chucks, Fig. 1.

The modification of Fig. 4 discloses L-shaped cam hooks 53, which'engage to the underside of carriers 3|, eliminating the use of trunnions 33. Otherwise the action of the hooks 55 is similar to the action of the hooks 5|.

The phase of motion of chains 34 and the hooks 5| or 53 thereon with relation to carriers 3l'm'ay be determined by the sundry adjusting means hereinbefore described, and also by the spacing of hooks 5| or 55 on chains 34. I

The chain conveyor'34 on being loaded with mold carriers 3| as hereinbefore described. may carry them over a system of sprockets 35, in which the chains 34 are arranged in multiple vertical branches passing over and under sprockets 35, to save space, Fig 5 and 6, through a dryer or other treating chambers, until the ware is finished and removed therefrom in any suitable manner.

The chains 34 may also be arranged to run horizontally or in inclined planes, also in combined vertical, horizontal and inclined directions, Fig. 11, wherein the'chains 34 are arranged to pass over sprockets I06, I01, I33 and I39 having hooks |||l thereon, to pick up mold carriers 3| from track 30 and deposit the same on track 1|, as hereinafter described.

The mold carriers 3| after traversing the dryer are automatically transferred from the .part 34a of conveyor chains 34, Fig. 6, to a track 1|, situated at'the right side of my mechanism as shown, Figs. 5 and 6, by means of a pair of oscillating transfer members 12, pivotally connected to the machine frame or mounted in bearings 13 by means of a spindle members 12 may be adjustably secured.

The carriers 3| are deposited by the conveyor chains 34 onthe members 12, which intercept carriers 3| from chains 34a when the members 12 are in the position shown in full lines in Fig. '7, and the carriers 3| arethereafter transferred to track", when members 12 are oscillated into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. The shoulders of members 12 are notched to pass under the sill of track 1|.

To oscillate members 12 I provide a connecting rod 15, pivotally connected to member 12 by a pin 15. The rod terminates in a bifurcation 19, in which shaft l3 lies, Figs. 5 and 7 and has adjustably secured thereto a rotary cam 11, in contact with a roll 18, pivotally connected to the bifurcated part 19 by suitable pin.

A spring 3|,. Fig. 7, connected to members 12 and to a stationary operates with cam 11, to oscillate members 12.

part 32 of the machine, co-' 85, in mesh with 'gear located on c I by connecting rod Hi0,- pivotally connected to nected The carriers 3| are then propelled forwardly track H by means of gravity pawls 8| conto a rack- 82, similar to the pawls 32 and rack 29 hereinbefore described, and act in the same manner. 7

The rack, Fig. 7-, actuated by a pinion 83,

' which is mounted on aspindle 84, meshes with rack 82. The spindle also has a smaller pinion a segmental gear 85,- (similar to oscillating. .arm ,81 actuated arm 81 and adjustably' secured to a bifurcated I ,part ml, slidably connected to shaft n; Fig. 5.

"ll, contacts with a .cam I03,- adjustably, connected to shaft 11. A compression spring I04 connected to arm 81 is" .als'owconnected to -a stationary part M5,.

A roll [02 pivotally connected to for cooperating with and'cam I03, to' oscillate arm BL'thereby intermittently moving-carriers 3i lengthwise'thereof on track Il forwardly'as hereinbefore. described and in their relative posi tions, Fig. 5; T

i 4 From." the-track 'l l the'carriers 3| be transferred-to platform or track" situated at the front of the gmachine; A pair of'pushers as,

- connected 'to' span" of, oscillating arms 90','Flg..

intermittently en'gages and- Qri'ers.

so moves the car- 'Thes'earms are secured-to as'pindle '99 and are actuated by a connecting rod 93, pivotal- 1y. 'onnected' by interchangeable openings 93ato one of arms '90 and is sli'dably'mounted on said shaft 13 .by .a slotted member. 85 on red '93. A

' cam roll 94 'ispivotally connected to member .95

- shaped by said jiggers.

in contact'with a can 96, 'adiustably secured to shaft Ill-Fig. 5'.

A'spring 'QIconn'ected to arm 90 and part #8,

' cooperates :with cam-86rto oscillate arm 90.

The carriers 3i are arranged in a. line on said platform or'track-.88, -Flg. 5, and are intermittentiy 'propelled by; pushers 89 in a direction from 'rightto left in, Fig. 5 until they reach the. track 30,. when the cycle of operations is completed-and is repeated as hereinbefore described.

The operations of the sundry parts ofmy mechanismfor co'nveyingmold carriers may be Myabovemechanism may also preferably be 7' employed with'a continuously, moving conveyor which may be operated by a belt I. on pulleys 2. and H3, as shown-in Fig. 5, if desired, .and'

also with a continuously moving'line of carriers,

if desired. The pulley H2 may be secured to the power shaft 13 and pulley .I I3 secured to shaft 36, to' operate them in synchronism.

When it is desired to run the,said conveyor 34 continuously; the-bevel gear 48 must first be shifted on spindle"43,.until it is out of mesh with bevel-gear 50, whereupon the belt HI may be connected to pulleys. 2' and H3; and when it is desired to. runsaidconveyor 34 intermittently, fihe'belt I'll "must first be disconnected from oneof pulleys mar. ll3,'.'whereupon the bevelgear 48 may be shifted on spindle 43 into mesh with bevel gear 50, and then securedin I position on spindle'lS by means of a set screw My above described also be employed with conveyorsrwhich are not vertically disposed as above described.

The mold carriers may also be removed from the line otherwise than by lifting them, as above described; and carriers may be moved in a line otherwise than on a track, and the line maybe otherwise than straight, if desired.

A pair of. cams substantially similar to the cam 53, but inverted in position as shown in Fig. 12

and generally designated 53a may be connected to the hooks 'of chains 34, to be intercepted during the downward motion of said chains 34, for

unloading the carriers 3| therefrom, if desired.

Cams may also be provided on the hooks of chains 36 for unloading carriers 3i when the 1 chains are moving upwardly by an unloading member, which is moving upwardly at a higher velocity than said chains 3,4 if desired. v

The point of unloadingoi' the carriers 3! from chains 34 may be situated'at a considerablyv higher level than the point of loading of carriers .thereunto; the tendency of'chains 34 at the loading' point' will'then be to mqve downwardly, and

will be checked by means of pawl 68,1as above described.- 1 H Where the point of unloadingof the mold jcarrier 3| from chains is considerably'lower than the point of loading of the-carriers thereunto, the tendency of the chains 34. will be to move in the opposite direction-or upwardl the pawls .45 and 88 with the ratchet 42 may. thenbe aided by suitable positive clutches or brake rerun'ning, if desired.

I claim:

4 -l. In apparatus for the manufacture of pottery.

ware, in combination, a dryer. and a conveyor tarding means to keep said chains "from-overoperating' therein having removable -mold car- A riers, means for automatically removing and replacing mold carriersthereon, means for circulating said carriers between the points of re moval and replacement and means for fabricating ware on the molds of said carrier incident to said circulation.

2. In apparatus for the manufacture, of pottery ware, in combination, a dryer having a mold conveying means associatedtherewith, removable mold carriers plvotally attached to said conveying means,'means for removing mold carriers therefrom, means for circulating said carriers to a zone of ware fabrication, means for jiggering ware on said molds and means for automatically replacingsaid carriers on said conveying means. i

3. In apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware, in combination, a dryer having a mold conveying means associated therewith,. removable mold carriers attached theretogmeans forautomatically detaching said carriers from said con-- .veyor, means for circulating-said carriers to a .ware fabricating zone, and means for fabricating were on said molds. v

4. In apparatus-for-the manufacture of pottery ware, in combination, apparatus for fabricating pottery ware, a mold carrier, means for transporting the carrier to and through the zone of ware fabrication, means for removing molds therefrom and replacingmolds thereon, a'dryer having a conveyor associated therewith and means for automatically attachihg'said carrier tosaid conveyor. I

5. In apparatus for the' manufactureof. pottery ware, in combination, a dryer having a conveyor operating therein, a plurality of mold carriers attached to said conveyor, means for removing molds from said conveyor, means for circulating said molds to a zone of ware fabrication, means for progressing said molds therethrough, m ans for fabricating ware on said molds incident to said progression and means for returning said carriers from said conveyor to said fabricating apparatus, drive means for said fabricating apparatus, conveyor and transfer means and means for varying the speed of operation of said drive means.

7. Apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware comprising, in combination, a single line automatic pottery ware fabricating machine, a mold conveyor having molds disposed thereon in rows extending transversely thereof, means for removing an entire row of molds at once from the conveyor, means for feeding said molds through said fabricating machine in single file and means for replacing molds an entire row at a time on said conveyor.

8. Apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware comprising, in combination, a pottery ware fabricating apparatus, conveying means adjacent theretohaving molds disposed thereon in spaced rows extending transversely of the conveying means, means for removing mold rows in consecutive order from said conveyor, means for feeding molds of a row through the fabricating machine, the rows following in consecutive order and means for replacing said molds in consecutive rows on said conveying means.

9. Apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware which comprises, in combination, a single line automatic pottery ware fabricating machine,

a conveyor for 'molds located adjacent thereto, molds disposed on said conveyor and arranged in spaced rows, transferring means for removing molds a row ata time fom said conveyor, means for feeding said molds in single file to and through said pottery ware fabricating machine for the fabrication of pottery ware thereon, means for replacing molds with fabricated ware thereon on said conveyor, drive means for said conveyor, drive means for said pottery ware fabricating machine and mechanism for synchronizing the operation of said drive means.

10. Apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware comprising, in combination, an automatic' pottery ware fabricating machine, a dryer, a dryer conveyor operating in timed relation with said machine, molds carried by said conveyor, means for unloading empty molds from said conveyor, a second conveyor adapted to receive said molds and to feed the same in single file to said pottery ware machine, means for transporting said molds through the pottery machine and to a position where said molds may be loaded onto said conveyor, again and means for loading filled molds on said 'dryerconveyor.

11. Apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware comprising, in combination, an automatic pottery ware fabricating machine, a dryer, a dryer conveyor, molds disposed on said conveyor and arranged in rows extending transversely thereof, a second conveyor, means for transferring rows of molds to said second conveyor, a mold transfer associated with said pottery ware machine adapted to feed molds in single line therethrough for filling-said molds being transported out of said pottery machine in single file and automatically replaced in rows on said dryer conveyor subsequent to filling.

12. Apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware comprising, in combination, a dryer, a mold conveyor associated therewith, mold supports arranged transversely thereof, a pottery ware fabricating machine; means for detaching mold supports from said dryer conveyor and feed ing the same in consecutive order through said fabricating machine and means for reattacliing said carriers to said mold conveyor.

13. In apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware, a dryer conveyor, a plurality of mold carriers, means for mountingsaid mold carriers on said conveyor comprising a plurality of attaching members pivotally associated with said conveyor and adapted-to detachably support said mold carriers and means for rotating said at taching members about their respective axis to displace the carriers laterally relative to the path of travel of the conveyor.

14. In apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware, in combination, stationary means for automatically fabricating pottery ware, a conveying means for molds located adjacent thereto, mold transferring means located intermediate said conveying means and said fabricating means tween.

15. In the manufacture of pottery ware, ware fabricating means, a dryer, a chain mold conveyor in said dryer, and means for transferring molds between said dryer and said fabricating means including a mold carrier detachably associated with said chain conveyor.

16. In apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware, ware fabricating means, a chain mold conveyor having removable mold carriers, means for detaching said .carriers from said chain conveyor and a conveyor for transporting the same into operative adjacency to said fabricating means, and means for returning said carriers to said conveyor.

17. Apparatus for producing dinnerware, comprising, in combination, a dryer, a chain conveyor operating therein, means for actuating said conveyor, a plurality of removable carriers with molds thereon associated with said conveyor, means for removing said carriers from said conveyor, means for automatically advancing said carriers into operative adjacency to a ware fabricating zone, means for automatically removing molds-from said carriers, means for fabricating ware thereon, and means for synchronizing the operation of said conveyor, said carrier advanc 19. In apparatus for the manufacture of'pottery ware, a dryer having a chain conveyor for J molds, removable mold carriers provided with mold positioning seats associated therewith and means for automatically removing, andreplacing said carriers on said conveyor.

20. In apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware, a ware fabricating apparatus, a dryer, a conveyor for travelling molds through said dryer, mold carriers removably attached to said conveyor, and a conveying means operating in timed relation with said fabricating apparatus for transan endless chain mold conveyor, a plurality ofmold supports associated with said conveyor,

molds on said supports, means for fabricating pottery ware located adjacent said conveyor and means for simultaneously transferring all of the molds on a single support in unison fromsaid conveyor to said 'meansfor fabricating pottery ware. i

22. Apparatus for the man I ware comprising, in combination, a dryer, a mold conveyor operating therein. a plurality of mold supports associated with said conveyor, molds on saicl supports, means for fabricating pottery ware located adjacent said conveyor, a mold conveyor associated withsaid means for fabricating pottery ware, molds on a single support in unison from said dryer conveyor to said. conveying means associated with said fabricating apparatus and means for returning filled molds from the fabricating 25 machine to the dryer.

acture of pottery means for transferring all of the,

23. In apparatus for-the manufacture of pottery .ware the combination which comprises a' pottery ware fabricating machine, a dryer, a

dryer conveyor for molds comprising a pair of chains havinga plurality of mold carriers attached thereto by means .of releasable securing members, means for actuating said securing members at predetermined points to enable the release and detachment of the carriers from said conveyor, means for progressing said carriers when released to and through said pottery ware fabricating machine and to ,a position where said securing members may engage and reconnect the carriers to the said conveyor. I

, 24. In apparatus for the manufacture of pottery ware, the combination of.a dryer having a conveyor operating therein, a plurality of mold I carriers attached to said conveyor, means for mechanically removing a plurality of molds from said dryer conveyor, means for circulating said molds to another zone of said dryer conveyor for replacement thereon and means for fabrlcat- 

